Zimpapers Logo

Nqobile Tshili, [email protected] 

THE country last year recorded over 4 000 school dropouts due to pregnancy, with rural areas bearing the brunt of the crisis.

According to shocking statistics released by the Government, 4 557 girls left school last year because of pregnancy. Of these, 3 942 were from rural schools, while 615 were from urban schools. A total of 134 pregnant girls were still in primary school.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo presented the figures in the National Assembly during a question and answer session in Parliament last week.

Minister Torerai Moyo

Despite the Government’s efforts to address the issue through the Education Act of 2020, which allows pregnant students to continue their studies, the dropout rate remains alarmingly high. 

Minister Moyo said pregnant girls are allowed two weeks of maternity leave after giving birth before resuming their studies. 

“For the year ending December 2023, 4 557 girls dropped out of school due to pregnancy, the majority of these (3 942) being from rural schools. A total of 134 girls dropped out of primary school as a result of pregnancy, meaning that the majority of dropouts were recorded in secondary schools,” he said. 

“It is important to note that the ministry has instituted several measures to curb this problem, one of which is the introduction of guidance and counselling in schools.”

Minister Moyo urged pregnant girls to continue their education, with the legal provisions allowing them to return to school after giving birth.

 “According to the Education Amendment Act of 2020, we do not encourage girls to drop out for reasons that they are pregnant, we encourage them to continue. According to the law, they are allowed to be on maternity leave for two weeks. After giving a normal birth, the girl is allowed back to the school,” he said.

Acting Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Lupane State University, Dr Mbulisi Ndlovu attributes the high dropout rates in rural areas to poor law enforcement and communities shielding sexual predators.

He noted that rural areas are more likely to conceal such issues compared to urban areas, where they are swiftly exposed. 

“There is laxity in terms of law enforcement in rural areas, and schools should step in to provide holistic education that protects the girl child from abuse. There are so many things that are swept under the carpet in rural areas unlike in urban areas where such issues are quickly exposed,” said Dr Ndlovu.

He also pointed out that girls who fall pregnant often lose financial support from their education funders, trapping them in a cycle of dependency on men. This makes them more vulnerable to exploitation and hinders their ability to achieve economic independence.

“When they drop out of school in most instances they become reliant on men for survival which makes them vulnerable to those men. The hope was that upon receiving an education it would become their fall back plan” he said.

Dr Ndlovu emphasised the need for targeted sex education for girls, stating that focusing solely on punishing perpetrators does not yield the desired results.

He noted that some girls willingly enter exploitative relationships, highlighting the need for a mindset change, particularly among parents who sometimes encourage child marriages.

Dr Ndlovu said his department recently conducted a study that revealed reasons leading to poor pass rates in schools in Matabeleland North.

Child rights activist Mrs Babongile Mudau-Gora said that although sex education has been introduced in schools, more needs to be done to close the information gap, especially between rural and urban students.

“Rural girls travel long distances to school, making them more vulnerable to older men and peers, which increases the likelihood of pregnancy,” she explained. 

Schools need to do more in terms of sex education. The disparities and high number of rural girls falling pregnant reflect the information gap between urban and rural girls.”

Mrs Mudau-Gora also raised concerns about the stigma that pregnant girls face when they attempt to return to school, both from their peers and society at large. — @nqotshili